Betrayed By One. Bound To Three-Chapter 55: Dizzy.

Selena and her triplets were about heading out of the packhouse when a young servant approached them quickly, bowing as she stopped.

"My lady."

Selena paused.

"The elders request your presence in the western council chamber."

The triplets exchanged brief glances.

Edris’s brow lifted slightly. "Convenient timing."

Selena considered the message for a moment.

A summons from the elders could not be ignored.

She turned to the brothers.

"Wait for me in your room," she said calmly. "I will not be long."

Ronan studied her face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Kael’s gaze lingered on her a moment longer than the others before he finally nodded.

"We’ll wait."

Selena inclined her head once before turning down the corridor toward the council wing.

The summons had been delivered with courtesy.

That alone told Selena the meeting would not be casual.

She entered the western council chamber just before midday.

Sunlight filtered softly through the tall arched windows, spreading warm light across the long wooden table where four elders were already seated.

Their posture was careful and dignified, their expressions neutral in the way people often appeared calm while holding serious thoughts inside.

There were no raised voices waiting for her.

Only expectation.

Selena inclined her head politely.

"You asked to see me."

Elder Marrec, the oldest among them, gestured toward the empty chair opposite the table.

"Yes. Please sit."

She did.

The chamber doors closed quietly behind her.

"We will speak plainly," Elder Sera said after a moment. "Your return has restored stability to the pack in many ways."

"In some ways," Elder Dain added carefully.

Selena folded her hands gently in her lap.

"Stability always requires time."

Marrec nodded slowly.

"Yes. That is precisely what concerns us."

Selena already understood where the conversation was headed but maintained a calm demeanor.

"The coronation was postponed when you returned," Sera said. "The formal announcement of your union with Silas was also delayed."

Despite wanting to be anywhere else, Selena kept her composure and quietly listened.

"The pack understands that your disappearance complicated matters," Dain continued. "But uncertainty cannot remain forever."

Marrec leaned slightly forward.

"It has been several days since your return, and we would like to know whether you have chosen a date for you and Alpha Silas to be officially mated."

This was not a question of whether she would marry.

Only when.

Selena held steady eye contact with the elders as she spoke.

"I am considering it."

A faint exchange of looks passed between them.

"Considering," Sera repeated slowly. "May we ask what remains undecided?"

Selena answered carefully.

"I understand that my disappearance was unplanned, as was my return. I also understand that the pack needs stability. But a ceremony without proper preparation may appear forced."

Dain studied her.

"Some may say postponement appears uncertain."

"Only if one listens to rumor instead of reason," Selena replied.

Marrec tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"There are discussions circulating."

"About what?" Selena asked.

"The rogues," Sera said.

Of course.

"They have been seen near you often," Dain added. "Very near."

"They arrived with me," Selena said. "It would be strange if they avoided proximity."

Marrec’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"You are aware that closeness invites interpretation."

"And interpretation invites exaggeration," Selena replied softly.

"You deny impropriety?" Sera asked.

Selena allowed a small, polite smile.

"I deny that the stability of this pack depends on how often I stand near those who ensured my return alive."

The room became very quiet.

"That is not what we imply," Dain said.

"No," Selena agreed. "But it is what others may imply. I suggest the elders do not give whispers more power than truth."

Marrec shifted slightly.

"While we respect your authority as the princess of the pack, you would agree that you cannot rule alone. You need a man to stand beside you as Alpha."

Selena did not look away.

"I understand the value the pack places on my marriage for stability. But leadership has never been determined by anatomy." She paused as if expecting someone to interrupt her and when no one did, she continued. "With that in mind, I will choose a date soon."

"How soon?" Sera asked.

"Before the next full moon."

That answer seemed to satisfy them more than she expected.

Sera nodded once.

"The pack will feel comfort in certainty."

"Then allow me to give it properly," Selena said.

As she spoke, another sensation moved through her chest.

A faint wave of dizziness rose from somewhere deep inside her, not painful but unsettling.

The sunlight through the windows suddenly seemed too bright.

The edges of the table blurred.

For a moment, Selena was not entirely certain the floor was still beneath her.

Her fingers tightened almost imperceptibly against the fabric of her clothing.

Not now.

She controlled her breathing.

Marrec was still speaking about preparations and announcements, but his voice sounded distant, as though something inside her were listening from far away.

Her heartbeat struck once, heavy and uneven.

For a brief moment, something inside her chest tightened sharply—then released.

She blinked slowly.

The chamber steadied.

Sera was watching her now.

"You look unwell."

Selena lifted her chin slightly.

"The journey has not left me completely."

Marrec frowned faintly.

"Do you require the healer?"

"No."

The word came sharper than intended.

She softened it immediately.

"Rest will be sufficient."

The dizziness faded as quickly as it had come, leaving behind a strange emptiness that unsettled her more than the sensation itself.

Dain leaned back slightly.

"We trust that once a date is announced, distractions will fade."

Selena met his gaze.

"Distractions fade when they are no longer fed."

Marrec nodded slowly.

"Very well. We will expect your decision before the full moon."

"You will have it."

The meeting ended without further challenge.

Selena rose carefully and walked out of the chamber.

The corridor outside felt cooler than the council chamber.

She paused only briefly before continuing forward, maintaining the calm posture expected of her.

Halfway down the corridor, her steps slowed.

The strange sensation lingered somewhere beneath her ribs.

At the far end of the corridor, Silas stood speaking quietly with a guard.

His gaze lifted the moment she appeared.

He saw it immediately.

The slight hesitation in her step.

The brief pause before she continued walking.

His heart leaped with satisfaction.

The herbs were doing their job.

Though excitement stirred inside him, his expression did not change.

But something darkened quietly inside his eyes.

Selena approached him.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look pale."

"Yes," she replied. "The council chamber was warmer than expected."

"How was the meeting?" he asked.

"The elders are satisfied," she replied.

"And you?"

"I told them I will choose a date for our wedding soon."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"It sounds good hearing that from you."

Selena managed a small smile.

"What about Loretta? I didn’t see either of you at breakfast," she said.

"I had something to attend to," he replied. "I will check on her now and see why she missed breakfast."

"Please do. I will be taking a walk outside later to get the triplets familiar with the pack."

"So they plan to stay permanently?"

"I am not sure. But that decision is theirs to make."

"Just be careful," Silas said quietly. "I don’t trust them."

"I will."

His gaze stayed on her longer than necessary.

"You should rest more," he said quietly. "You have to be strong for the pack."

She held his eyes for a moment, searching for something she could not name.

"I intend to be."

Then she walked past him without waiting for dismissal.

Silas remained where he was.

Watching the corridor long after she had disappeared.

The herbs were working.

Quietly.

Soon she would no longer question the weakness in her body.

And by the time she understood what was happening to her—she would already belong to him.

All he needed was to ensure they were married before the vermora completely took over her body.